Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In 1748, Franklin's machine consisted of a vertical shaft that was free to rotate, from which several glass bars extended like spokes. Each bar was tipped with a brass thimble which would attract or repel to charged jars.
Fast forward several hundred years and the electrostatic machine has resurfaced. Without any magnets/coils, it is one of the cheapest designs for a motor. Is it pratical?
In 1748, Franklin's machine consisted of a vertical shaft that was free to rotate, from which several glass bars extended like spokes. Each bar was tipped with a brass thimble which would attract or repel to charged jars.
Fast forward several hundred years and the electrostatic machine has resurfaced. Without any magnets/coils, it is one of the cheapest designs for a motor. Is it pratical?
